Avalanche forecast

Vancouver Island

Mar 8 – 9, 2025Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended on Saturday.

Dial back your terrain choices if you are seeing more than 30 cm of new snow.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    +30 cm of storm snow and extreme winds are building reactive storm slabs at all elevations. Back off if you encounter signs of instability like whumpfing, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Forecasted precipitation may fall as a mix of rain and snow on Saturday. Where the precipitation falls as rain, a natural wet loose avalanche cycle may quickly result. Avoid any exposure to avalanche terrain during rainy periods.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported on Friday by 4 pm.

With significant new snow and strong wind in the forecast for the weekend, we anticipate widespread avalanche activity will be very likely on Saturday.

If you are headed to the backcountry, please consider sharing your photos and observations from your day on the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 30 cm of heavy snow could accumulate by Saturday morning, and an additional 40 to 60 mm of mixed precipitation is expected through the day. Storm snow covers a thick a crust except on high north facing terrain, where new snow buries 5 to 20 cm of dense snow overlying a crust from earlier in March.

The mid and lower snowpack is strong and dense.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with heavy flurries, 20 to 50 mm of mixed precipitation. 60 to 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1000 m.

Saturday

Cloudy with heavy flurries, 40 to 60 mm of mixed precipitation. 50 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level rises to 1500 m.

Heavy precipitation continues overnight, 20 to 50 mm of mixed precipitation

Sunday

Cloudy with light flurries, 5 to 10 mm of mixed precipitation. 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level around 800 m.

Monday

Partly cloudy with light flurries, 2 to 5 mm of mixed percipitation. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level around 800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
  • Storm slab size and sensitivity to triggering will likely increase through the day.
  • Avoid freshly wind-loaded terrain features.

Regions covered